The track went quiet, but the ambition never slept. While the world paused, Mina Stanković was already moving. Fresh from conquering the Balkans on the slopes of Mount Musala, the Pirot native shifted gears. The destination? The 57th edition of the Zahoracka 20 race walk in Slovakia. The mission? To prove that silver is just gold with a different shine.

A Masterclass in Endurance

Two and a half months after clocking a blistering 1:37:18 to top the Balkan charts, Stanković returned to the road with fire in her heels. In Zahoracka, she didn’t just participate; she dominated the silver category. Clocking 1:40:35, she finished a breath behind the world junior champion from Mexico, Sofia Ramos Rodriguez, who crossed the line in 1:39:21. Ecuador’s Juana Ordonez took bronze in 1:41:29, but all eyes were on the Serbian star who refused to blink.

This wasn’t a fluke. Earlier this year, Stanković ruled the 10km gold medal race in Dudince, Slovakia, proving her supremacy in the U23 category. She had already stamped her authority in Antalya during the semi-marathon season. Now, Zahoracka was just another checkpoint in a career built on relentless forward motion.

Target: Birmingham

Her coach, Predrag Krstović, celebrated the victory online, but the real prize lies ahead. Stanković is sharpening her stride for the ultimate stage: her debut at the European Championships in Birmingham. The path from Paraćin to the European podium is long, but every step is measured, every stride calculated. The silver in Slovakia wasn’t the finish line. It was the warm-up.